This week the prompts are two photographs rather than words.
The pain sliced through her like a knife still. She'd left her small flat after the cowardly text and her responses, what time was that exactly? She hauled her phone out of her pocket and checked, 8.45pm, the night before. She'd been waiting since 6.30 for him to show up. It was a year since they'd first met on Tinder. Their anniversary. She'd cooked Italian knowing how much he loved it. And bought him a little gift too. The candles were sputtering and dying in their holders by the time she knew he wasn't coming.
At first she'd been incredulous.He breaks up with her by text? She'd called him and called him, no answer. She'd texted and texted, each one using more expletives, more than she realized she knew, moving way beyond potty mouth. She'd finally thrown on her coat and walked and walked until she reached his door and she banged and banged until one of the neighbours shouted down he was calling the police. Then she walked and walked some more. Her head was swimming, she wasn't thinking straight. Those tracks could be an answer to all her shattered dreams. They'd even talked children, a house, a wedding. He'd met her parents, though admittedly her dad hadn't taken to him. Not that he suspected but she knew her dad. She heard a loud sob and realized it was coming from herself. She stopped and pulled out the phone again and stared at the screen, absorbing the words one at a time. "Hiya, not working out 4 me. Met new. Moving on. Ciao."
She walked to the edge of the platform and considered the rails just as the sun started to come up. It must be dawn. What? Where had the night gone? That punch in the gut was still there but easing, was it easing? She looked up as the birds began to sing. Funny that, once the traffic started up and the trains began to run you'd never hear them at all. But now? In the silence? They were singing as if their hearts and souls could reach the sky and beyond. Look, three of the them on that street lamp over there.
She yanked the phone from her pocket once more.
"Sorry to call so early Dad but I'd like to take the first train down, is that okay?"
you've captured that rather unhappy emotion really well. and that text breakup message sounds like something someone somewhere would have used. and it's good that she can go and see her father for a bit.
ReplyDeletegreat use of the prompts.
have a lovely day.
Thank you Lissa, I so enjoyed yours as well :)
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I am so glad that she heard the birds sing. And that their song brought safety and hope with it.
ReplyDeleteA lovely take on lissa's prompts.
Thank you EC, it was almost therapeutic writing it as something similar happened to me.
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Best to go talk it out with someone, i'm glad she chose to ride the rail instead of doing something more drastic with it.
ReplyDeleteYes me too MM. I didn't know what she'd do until the end as in those situations there's a temporary insanity.
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Very good use of those two photographs, WWW! So pleased there was a good ending - or will be in time. She was well-rid of that a/hole!
ReplyDeleteYes, wasn't she though often we can's see it :(
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Excellent use of the photos. Her dad must have sensed something. She'll be fine once she talks it over with her dad.
ReplyDeleteYes, she obviously trusts her father's judgement as she didn't confront him on his dislike of the BF.
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A new dawn, a new beginning. Yes that's how life is sometimes. Well written.
ReplyDeleteThank you Uglemor!
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Beautiful writing, great imagination!
ReplyDeleteThank you Molly!
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Oh, this is so sad. Unrequited love.
ReplyDeleteI do hope she eventually realizes what a nasty human being he was.
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Ooh, I'm so glad she didn't take the expected route.
ReplyDeleteThose birds gave her hope I believe :)
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